Externment notice to Social Activist Ms. Madhuri in Madhya Pradesh

Dear friends,

A show- cause notice has been issued to me by the administration as the beginning of proceedings
for externment (zila badar) from Barwani and 6 nearby districts. The reasons given are that the
repeated protests and agitations by our sangathan, Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan are "obstructing the
government's public welfare and developmental schemes" and are "striking fear and terror in the minds
of government officials thus affecting government work" and that government officials and the general
public feel "terrorised and insecure" as a result of our "criminal activities"; that the activities of the
Sangathan are "criminal, anti-social and anti-public welfare"; that I myself am "misleading innocent
adivasis". The notice also lists all the criminal cases filed against me by the administration from 1999 to
2010 as proof of this charge.

As you know, Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, a membership- based mass organisation of several
thousand families, has been campaigning for over 14 years for the realisation of the constitutional
and legal rights of adivasis in Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, one of the most backward districts of the
country. We have been campaigning for proper implementation of MGNREGA and food schemes, proper
health care, rights of gram sabhas, forest rights, and against sale of illegal liquor etc. We are fighting
violence against and exploitation of adivasis by officials and traders, and rampant corruption and non-
performance in government schemes.

Far from "obstructing" government schemes our campaigns and protests have been for the proper
implementation of these schemes according to law.

Needless to say, in the process, we have upset the completely corrupt bureaucracy and political
interests who have thrived on siphoning off funds for public services and who are responsible for the
complete failure of delivery of entitlements to work, food, health services, forest rights etc, These
interests have been made very uncomfortable by an adivasi population that is confident, aware,
organised and very vocal in demanding their legal rights. Hence, when we have refused to be cowed
down by repeated false cases against us, they are trying this new tactic of externment.

The criminal cases against my comrades and myself are all false cases filed to quell protests
demanding: due wages and other legal rights under MGNREGA; action against negligence in maternity
care along with demands for adequate health staff, drugs, etc and functional public health system;
proper functioning of the PDS; stopping illegal mining; forest rights under the Forest Rights Act;
honouring the rights of gram sabhas. All protests were completely peaceful and legitimate.

Of the cases cited as proof of “habitual criminality”, we have been exonerated in all but one case(which
is still pending)out of all the cases that went to court. According to the notice , 5 cases are still “under
investigation” (for a period ranging from 2 to 6 years!) that is, the police has still not even made up its
mind whether to prosecute or not!

The fact that we have been harassed with these cases after peaceful protests for legitimate demands,
is proof of the failure of governance not of our “criminality”!

Externment proceedings are supposedly meant for “habitual criminals”. At a place where the liquor
mining and timber mafia are flourishing, where public funds are being embezzled with impunity to
the extent that adivasis are denied even their due wages and paltry rations, where money meant for
hospital drugs and equipment are being embezzled, it is those of us who are fighting for the realization
of the country’s constitution and laws who are “habitual criminals”.

While the externment notice has been issued by the district administration the BJP especially our local
MLA clearly has a hand in this. They have repeatedly and publically been demanding that I be externed.
The externment notice also cites one such event(para 11) led by BJP office-bearers and MLAS(but
which also had Congress participation), which was called “Madhuri bhagao Abhiyan”, in which the

political establishment had said in (a written memorandum) that if the administration did not do “zila
badar”, they would do it themselves. Interestingly, this “rally” was on the day after a week-long dharna
by the Sangathan demanding proper implementation and transparency in NREGA works. It was after
this dharna that over 1500 Sangathan members were awarded Unemployment Allowance – for the first
time in the country- along with 5 of the criminal cases cited in the notice!

Friends, this externment notice issued to me probably marks the beginning of a phase of intensified
attacks on the sangathan. As the political establishment gears up for elections next year, and deeply
resents a questioning, confident and politically aware adivasi population, more attacks of all sorts are to
be expected.

We therefore urge you to join us in protesting this completely arbitrary and unconstitutional attack on
our democratic rights.

Please write to the Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Commissioner(Indore)Shri Parasher ,
IGpolice (Indore) Ms Anuradha Shankar Singh, and District Magistrate Shri Sriman Shukla to register
your protest and your solidarity with Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan. Please also protest or follow this
matter up in any other manner possible.

Chief Minister M.P , Shivraj singh Chauhan
fax :0755-2441781, 07552540501

Commissioner (Indore) Shri Parasher email: commissionerindore@nic.in
fax: 0731-2539552

IG (Police) Indore, Ms. Anuradha Shankar Singh email: ig.indore@gmail.com
fax:0731-2702810;0731-2702777

District Magistrate Barwani
Shri Sriman Shukla email: dmbarwani@nic.in
224001,mob:09425790303
fax: 07290-224003;243330

Please do let us know what action you have taken , and mark a copy of your letter to us at
madhuri.jads@gmail.com

Madhuri,

email: pstocmbpl@gmail.com , cm@mp.nic.in ,

phone:07312435111

phone: 0731-2702777

phone:07290-